IntroductionThe term ‘Hispanic’ (or ‘Latino’) is generally used in the United States as a designation for Spanish speak-ing peoples originating from Mexico, Central Ameri-ca, South America, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. This cul-turally diverse group now represents the largest and fastest growing minority population in the U.S.

The Hispanic influence on American cuisine is par-ticularly evident in Mexican, Tex-Mex, and similar cooking styles. Mexican food remains one of the most popular ethnic cuisines in the U.S., and ingredients in-troduced to the U.S. in Mexican cuisine are now used across many cuisines. Mexican entrées and ingredi-ents can be found in major grocery chains, as well as dining establishments ranging from street food and fast food to fine dining. There is interest among con-sumers in purchasing the fresh, often unique, ingre-dients required for preparing ethnic dishes at home. Some of the more common vegetables and herbs used in Hispanic dishes, such as cilantro and jalapeño pep-pers, are already grown in Kentucky. Other traditional and specialty Hispanic crops can be produced and marketed here, both to Hispanics and non-Hispanics.

Marketing and Market OutlookConsumers continue demanding a greater quantity and more variety of ethnic fruits, vegetables and herbs. The increase in demand is greater in populations in and around metropolitan areas. Many ethnic groups, including Hispanics, tend toward a relatively high per capita consumption of fresh produce. A greater emphasis on healthy foods and the desire for variety in the American diet, especially among younger con-sumers, also contribute to the increased

demand for ethnic produce. Growth of Kentucky’s Hispanic population, along with these other factors, presents an opportunity for local growers to expand or add ethnic Hispanic vegetables to the marketing mix.

Many Hispanics have a tradition of purchasing their food ingredients from open-air markets, which would seem to make farmers markets an ideal outlet for of-fering ethnic crops. Growers can also investigate add-ing traditionally Hispanic vegetables to roadside stand offerings. Restaurants, particularly those specializing in Mexican or vegetarian dishes, may be interested in purchasing fresh, locally grown ingredients. His-panic products, along with other specialty or ethnic vegetables, could be added to a community supported

agriculture (CSA) share. Growers may also try direct-marketing their products to ethnic grocers and neighborhoods in large cities.

The demand for ethnic vegetables is of-

Center for Crop Diversification Crop Profile

Ethnic Vegetables: HispanicCheryl Kaiser1 and Matt Ernst2

1Cheryl Kaiser is a former Extension Associate with the Center for Crop Diversification.2Matt Ernst is an independent contractor with the Center for Crop Diversification.

www.uky.edu/CCD

CCD-CP-97

IntroductionGinger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) both have a long history of use in Asian, African and Caribbean cuisines. Fresh ginger is available year-round in the U.S. and Canada from pro-duce wholesalers sourcing from global suppliers, and both are widely available in their dried, ground form that is produced from their underground rhizomes.

The U.S. ginger crop is mainly grown in Hawaii. Re-cently, some U.S. vegetable and greenhouse growers have added ginger and turmeric as high-value special-ty crops to meet consumer demands for locally grown ingredients. Producers in the northeast have success-fully produced ginger in high tunnels, and experience with ginger and turmeric production (through the 2018 season) indicates both crops may be adaptable to high tunnel production in Kentucky.

MarketingKentucky producers have focused on selling directly to consumers, using local market channels like farmers markets and community supported agriculture. A few producers also sell these specialty crops via wholesale marketing for restaurant chefs. Some food retailers focused on offering organic and local produce have reported sourcing ginger locally.

Local farmers market customers and CSA members will benefit from recipes and preparation suggestions for fresh ginger. Shelf life and storage considerations should be conveyed to customers, as the fresh “baby” ginger in its immature stage produced in high tunnels will have different requirements than the mature ginger that is available

at grocery stores. Turmeric producers should also pro-vide use guidelines, as fresh turmeric is not commonly found in the marketplace. Common uses include using the vegetative tops of both plants to make teas, and both crops are used in juicing. Both rhizomes can also be dehydrated, pickled or candied.

Ginger and turmeric have received attention in the health and wellness product market, with turmeric at-tracting much recent interest. The FDA regulates how products may be marketed with respect to claims of

potential health benefits. Farm marketers must understand the potential ramifica-tions of making health claims when sell-ing fresh produce crops, as associating these specific crops with health benefits violates food marketing regulations.

Center for Crop Diversification Crop Profile

Ginger and TurmericMatt Ernst1 and Kristi Durbin2

1Matt Ernst is an independent contractor with the Center for Crop Diversification.2Kristi Durbin is a senior horticulturist in the University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture.

Cooperative Extension Service | Agriculture and Natural Resources | Family and Consumer Sciences | 4-H Youth Development | Community and Economic Development

www.uky.edu/CCD

CCD-CP-138

BaBy ginger

Habanero peppers

ten relatively small at any one time or place, so the market can easily become saturated. To guard against market saturation, growers can develop a special niche by supplying fresh, tender crops harvested at their peak, packaging them attractively, and choosing a variety of clients and markets.

Some of the challenges of marketing these vegetables to Hispanic customers include identifying the crops preferred by the target. Hispanic food preferences vary from country to country and region to region. For ex-ample, while some Latin American cultures primarily use black beans in their cooking, others prefer pinto beans, and still others predominantly cook with red beans. As with any new market, the best way to de-termine what to grow is to find out what the customer wants. Additionally, the same ingredient or crop may be identified by different Spanish names, depending on the specific region or country. An example is man-dioca, which is also called manioc, yuca and cassava. Providing signage in Spanish will be important in at-tracting Hispanic buyers. First-hand knowledge of the culture, customs and language will be extremely valu-able both in producing and marketing these products to this particular consumer base.

Non-Hispanic customers are also a potential market, especially consumer segments that are interested in preparing ethnic cuisines at home. Farmers markets and CSAs are great venues for introducing unusual fresh produce and value-added products. However, consumers unfamiliar with your selections may be more comfortable making a purchase when prepara-tion instructions and/or recipes are provided. Supply-ing educational information about the crop’s name, where and how it is grown, and other background in-formation can also help promote unusual crops to peo-ple unfamiliar with the crop. Preparation and cook-ing demonstrations, including presentations with the farmer who grew the crop, can help generate seasonal and unusual product sales at grocery retailers.

Growers interested in producing any ethnic or special-ty vegetable should always start small and test-market the crop before investing much time or money in pro-duction. Larger plantings should not be attempted un-less the grower has an established market. To discover the market for a new crop like Hispanic vegetables, producers should first communicate with potential consumers to determine their preferences for prod-

ucts. Cultivating a local market for a new crop, such as an ethnic vegetable variety, often becomes a sort of partnership between the producer and his or her target consumer.

Production considerationsPotential cropsCurrently the most common Kentucky-produced veg-etables used in Hispanic cooking include hot peppers, corn, Roma tomatoes, winter and summer squashes, cilantro, sweet potatoes, and onions. Tomatillo, a to-mato-like fruit that is the key ingredient in many sal-sas and chili sauces, has been marketed in Western and Central Kentucky. Dry beans are common in many Hispanic cultures, but it will be important to identify the specific type in demand by the target market.

A number of Hispanic crops belong to botanical fam-ilies that are well-known to Kentucky growers, and include cucurbits, legumes and solanaceous plants. Some ethnic vegetables are merely a different subspe-cies or cultivar of crops commonly grown in North America. Cultural requirements for these closely re-lated crops are often very similar to traditional vegeta-ble crops. Nevertheless, growers may need to rely on their own on-farm trials to identify the best production methods for these specialty crops.

The crops listed in Table 1 (Pages 5-6) have been identified as popular ingredients in Hispanic cooking. These particular vegetables and herbs may have po-tential for production in Kentucky based on cultiva-tion and hardiness information gleaned from the in-ternet. Talking to potential Hispanic customers about the crops they would like to purchase could provide

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additional ideas. Keep in mind that crops native to countries south of the U.S. border may not be hardy in Kentucky. Since local research data on many of the crops in Table 1 is lacking, growers should start small to determine which crops are suitable for their area. It is advisable to evaluate different cultivars and/or seed sources over multiple seasons and to test market the crops before attempting larger plantings.

Site selection and planting In general, choose a site that is well-drained and warms up quickly in the spring. Avoid low-lying fields that are subject to late frosts and high humidity. Cold-sensitive crops should not be planted in an open field until all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed sufficiently. Transplants can be grown in a greenhouse structure or hotbed, both for direct sales or on-farm use.

Some crops require a continuous supply of moisture, especially during fruit-set and development. UK re-search has reported greater yields, increased earliness, and a cleaner harvest when growing most vegetable crops on raised beds with black plastic mulch and drip irrigation. The moisture levels under the plastic must be carefully monitored when using this system.

Pest managementDisease and insect pressure for ethnic vegetables can vary depending on the crop, the cultivar, and the sea-son. Chemical control methods may be limited be-cause few pesticides are registered for many specialty crops. Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, including frequent scouting to monitor pests, may be needed to prevent or reduce losses. Controlling weeds, sanitation, following a good rotation system, and the use of beneficial insects can aid in pest control. Harvest and storageFreshness is the key factor in marketing Hispanic veg-etables; therefore, they should be harvested at their peak. Limiting the market radius to easy traveling dis-tance will help ensure the freshest specialty produce.

Labor requirementsMany traditional Hispanic vegetables are produced us-ing methods similar to comparable vegetables already grown in Kentucky. Producers can refer to Center for Crop Diversification crop profiles to estimate labor re-quirements for these specific vegetables. Plasticulture

will add eight to 10 hours more per acre for the post-harvest removal and disposal of the plastic.

A producer often begins with small quantities of a new crop for a niche market. A small planting of these specialty vegetables can potentially be added to exist-ing plots using similar cultural techniques. This could help minimize additional labor requirements.

Thinking carefully about how the specialty ethnic crop could fit into existing production systems can help minimize additional production expense and reduce risk. For example, specialty greens could be added at the end or alongside existing beds of greens, benefit-ing from similar weed and pest control methods. Start-ing with a smaller production area also keeps a grower from out-producing his or her market demand in the first year.

Economic considerationsInitial investments include land preparation and pur-chase of seed or transplants. Producers need to closely manage costs of key inputs, especially seed, when producing specialty vegetables. Seed for some eth-nic vegetables can be more expensive, so purchasing a variety that does not meet a customer’s preference can be a costly miscalculation. Additional costs are incurred with the installation of an irrigation system and plastic mulch.

In addition to potentially higher seed costs, produc-ers may incur greater labor times and prices lower than comparable products. For example, the returns over total costs per 100-foot by 4-foot bed of Roma tomatoes will likely fall in the $200 range. With good management and direct marketing, returns from the same-sized bed of an heirloom tomato variety can ap-proach $500. This is due to greater harvest times and (usually) lower prices for Roma tomatoes.

Pricing a new or specialty crop is also a key consid-eration. Producers should access available wholesale and retail market prices for Hispanic vegetables to determine what price the market can bear. Wholesale prices for many vegetables are reported daily or week-ly through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in their Fruit and Vegetable Market News. Visiting Hispanic food stores or specialty retailers can also provide producers with an idea of what prices to ask for specialty crops.

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An increase in Kentucky’s Hispanic population, and interest in ethnic cuisine in general, offer Kentucky growers an opportunity to add production of Hispanic vegetables to their enterprises to tap into a growing market. Growers should start small to avoid over-satu-rating their market, and communicate with customers to make sure they understand which crops they prefer.

Selected Resources• Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers, ID-36 (University of Kentucky) http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id36/id36.pdf• WorldCrops for Northern United States (University of Massachusetts website with comprehensive listing of ethnic crops) www.worldcrops.org • Ethnic and Specialty Vegetables Handbook (Maryland Cooperative Extension, 2008) https://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_docs/EthnicVegHandbook2008.pdf• Ethnic Vegetables. Cornell University Vegetable Program. http://cvp.cce.cornell.edu/crop.php?id=13

• Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook, 2nd edition (University of California, 1998)Information on the handbook at: http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/pubs/publications/5/Available for purchase at: http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3346

March 2021

For additional information, contact your local County Extension agent

Reviewed by Rachel Rudolph, UK Extension Vegetable Specialist, and Shawn Wright, UK Horticulture SpecialistSpanish translations in Table 1 provided by Rachel RudolphPhotos courtesy of Pixabay.com

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

Suggested Citation: Kaiser, C. and M. Ernst. (2021). Ethnic Vegetables: Hispanic. CCD-CP-97. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Available: http://www.uky.edu/ccd/sites/www.uky.edu.ccd/files/hispanic.pdf

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Table 1. Selected Vegetables and Herbs that are Used in Hispanic Cooking and May Have Potential for Kentucky Production

Amaranth, vegetable Amaranthus gangeticus Amaranthaceae Greens amaranto Also called leafy amaranth; cultivars grown for leaves instead of grain

Beans: Pinto, Red, and Black (Turtle) Phaseolus vulgaris Fabaceae Dry seeds frijol, poroto

Beans: Yardlong Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis Fabaceae Pods, dry seeds judíaCilantro Coriandrum sativum Apiaceae Leaves cilantro Herb

Common purslane Portulaca oleracea Portulacaceae Leaves verdolaga Cultivated varieties have a more upright growth habit

Corn (black sweet corn) Zea mays Poaceae Fruit elote

Corn, flour Zea mays Poaceae Fruit maíz Kernels are soft and starchier than other types; includes blue corn

Eggplant Solanum melongena Solanaceae Fruit berenjena Some Hispanic groups prefer pink cultivars with white striations

Epazote Drysphania ambrosioides Amaranthaceae Leaves epazote Highly invasiveGherkin, cornichon Melothria scabra Cucurbitaceae Fruit pepinillo Also called Mexican sour pickle

Hot peppers Capsicum annuum Solanaceae Fruit ají (very small hot peppers only)

e.g. Chilaca, Chili, Chile de arbol, Guajillo, Habanero, Jalapeño, Poblano, Serrano

Huauzontle (pronounced wauˈsontle)

Chenopodium nuttaliae; C. berlandieri sub sp. nuttaliae Amaranthaceae Leaves; seed heads huauzontle Also called Aztec spinach

Mexican coriander Eryngium foetidum Apiaceae Leaves culantro Herb; may need to start in a greenhouse

Mexican tarragon Tagetes lucida Asteraceae Leaves & flowers pericónOkra Abelmoschus esculentus Malvales Fruit quingombóOnions Allium cepa Alliaceae Bulb cebollaPápalo Porophyllum ruderale Asteraceae Leaves yerba porosa Very frost sensitivePeanuts Arachis hypogena Fabaceae Seed maní

Squash blossoms Cucurbita spp. Cucurbitaceae Flowers flores de calabacitas

Stevia Stevia rebaudiana Asteraceae Leaves stevia Also called sweet leaf; a sweetener native to South America

Summer squash Cucurbita pepo Cucurbitaceae Fruit calabacita, calabacín

Also grey squash; a summer squash similar to zucchini

Alternate Names & NotesSpanish NameCommon Name Botanical Name Family Name Parts Used/Eaten

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Sweet potato Ipomea batatas Convolvulaceae Root batata Particularly white fleshed/dry fleshed cultivars

Tomatillo Physalis ixocarpa Solanaceae Fruit tomatillo Also called husk tomato

Tomato, Roma Lycopersicum esculentum Solanaceae Fruit tomate Preferred for their meatier texture and lower water content

Winter squash, pumpkin Cucurbita moschata Cucurbitaceae Fruit calabaza Hard shelled winter squash

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